Pneumatic tire device



p 1947- Y J. C.-MALEN PNEUMATIC TIRE DEVICE I Filed July 21, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Jar/g Ca/ Mar/en v v ATTORNEY Sept. 2, 1947. J. c. MALEN 2,426,628

PNEUMATIC TIRE DEVICE I Filed July 21, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mmvron. Jar/y Carl Male/1.

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 2, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT 'OFFICE' (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 870 0. G. 757) 4 Claims.

The present invention concerns an attachment for a pneumatic tire, and particularly concerns a mechanical attachment for a pneumatic tire mounted wheel whereby deflation of the pneumatic tire will cause operation of the attachment to provide a mechanical tread for the wheel of the same diameter as the inflated pneumatic tire.

The use of pneumatic tires on passenger cars, trucks and similar vehicles provides a potential source of danger since unexpected deflation of the pneumatic tire frequently results in damage to the tire, inner tube and wheel rim, as well as causing injury to personnel in the car when the deflated tire causes the vehicle to go out of steering control. Likewise, great trouble from deflation of the pneumatic tires on aircraft occurs when such aircraft are parked, taxiing, or during take-off or landing operations. In such cases the "occurrence of a flat tire causes one side of the plane to drop with the result that ground loops or serious crashes frequently result therefrom. Such accidents from failure of pneumatic tires can be prevented if suitable means are provided for operating when the pneu-'. matic tire is deflated to provide a tread of the same diameter as that of the inflated pneumatic tire, so that the vehicle or aircraft will not be unbalanced about its longitudinal axis.

The present invention solves this problem by providing a mechanical attachment for the wheel upon which the pneumatic tire is mounted and which automatically operates in response to deflation of the pneumatic tire to provide a tread of the same diameter as that of the inflated pneumatic tire. This is accomplished by providing a series of independentlymounted mechanical feet, each of which swings outwardly into radially extended position to support the inside upon deflation of the inner of the tire casing tube.

An object of the invention is to provide an attachment for a pneumatic tire mountedwheel which will operate upon deflation of'the pneumatic tire to provide a tread of the same diameter as the inflated pneumatic tire.

Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment 'for a pneumatic tire mounted wheel which will automatically operate upon deflation of the inner tube to mechanically support the tire casing against collapse.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pneumatic tire mounted wheel witha series of independently mounted feet, each of which swings outwardly in response to deflation of the inner tube to mechanically support the tread of the tire casing.

Further objects and advantages of this invention, as well as its construction, arrangement and operation, will be apparent from the following description and claims in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a transverse section through a pneumatic tire and tube in inflated condition with the supporting rim, and showing a preferred embodiment of the invention mounted with respect thereto. 1

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section taken substantially along line 2-2 of Figure 1, with the tire and tube in inflated condition.

Fig, 3 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section similar to Fig. 2 but with the inner tube in deflated condition and the mechanical attachment of the invention extended to support the tire casing against collapse.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view taken approximately along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in section taken substantially along the line 55 of Fig. 3. 1.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in section taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 shows a conventional tire casing having a tread l2, side walls [3 and a bead I4. Disposed within tire casing II is an inner tube l5 which is shown as being inflated to support tire casing H against collapse. Tire casing II and inner tube l5 are supported upon a metal rim 16 having an integral side wall IT, a main supporting surface l8, and a radially inwardly extending anchor flange IS. A detachable side wall 26 is secured to anchor flange l9 by means of a series of bolts 2|. Side wall 20 may be removed from rim 16 for the purpose of mounting and dismounting tire casing II and inner tube l5.

Extending radially inward from the rim main supporting surface l8 are a pair of parallel spaced flanges 22 and 23 provided with terminal offset portions 24 and 25 respectively, which extend toward each other. Formed in main supporting surface l8, above offset portion 24, is a series of openings 26, while a similar series of openings 21 is provided above offset 25. Openings 26 and 21 are arranged in staggered relation with respect to each other.

Disposed in each opening 26 is a leg 28 provided at its inner end with a heel 29 and mounted for rotation upon flange 22 by a pivot 30. At its outer end leg 28 is recessed at 3| to accommodate mounting lug 32 of a rocker head 33, which is tended. position.

mounted for rocking movement on leg 28 by means of a pivot 34. Rocker head 33 is resiliently urged into the operative position shown in Fig. 3 by means of a spring 35 (Fig. 6) which is mounted. on the extremity of pivot 34, and one end of which extends at 36 into rocker head 33, While the other extremity. 31' extends through, apin" 38 which is rigidly mounted in leg 28-;- -In: the

retracted position shown in Fig. 2 rocker head 33 ma b rocked against the action of spring 35! into nested position.

purposes without the payment of any royalties v thereon or therefor.

As seen in Fig. 2, a leaf spring 39 isprovi'ded' to urge leg 28 from the retracted positipnshownj in Fig. 2, when inner tube I is inflated into the extended position shown in Fig. 3 wheni-nner-tube I5 is deflated. One arm 40 of leaf springr39. re-

acts against offset 24 of flange ZZ while the other 7 arm 41 of leaf spring 39 reacts against leg 2 8i 1 A locking detent 42 is provided '(Fig. 5) for looking leg 28 in the extended position shown in Fig. 3.

Locking detent comprises. a plunger @3 having a head portion 44 adapted for reciprocation with in a recessm'rformed in the'face of l'eg'za adiacentflange 22. Acompressionspring Ali-is disposed' within recess 453-for constantly urging plunger. 43: against thesurface oi: flange 22;- A retaining disc 43d.of-iconventionaltype serves to retain plunger '43 against escape'from recess e5.

A recess 41'? is .pr'ovided in the face or flange 22 insuch position that when 'le'g 28 is' extended-outwardly as'fshofwn in Fig. 3, plunger '43 'may seatitself within recess 4! to lock leg 28 in extended position;

T FI'heconStructiOn of leg Zfl'and' rocker head- 33 disposed ineach-rim opening 2-6 has been dc; scribed. Each rim opening 2! is providedwith a similar. construction but reversed frornleitto right as. indicated in Fig. lfan-dior convenience,

similar parts have been giv'ensimilar reference characters. As previousl-ystated,openings and 21 are staggered withrespe'ct to each other, and

as seen in Fig. 4 rocker heads 33 disposed ab'ove openings 26 are staggered with" respect to rocker heads E i-disposed above-openings;212.. V

Operationof the device is as follows. Tomount tire II andin'ner tube I5 for operationuponrim I6, detachable side wall- 2-0 is removed, rocker heads 33; are retractedinwardlyagainst'the cushion of leafisprings 39= into thepositionishown in Figs. land ZQand tireeasing" H a ndini' ertube l5 'aremounted as shownin Fig; 1. Side; wall El).

is then-secured in place by bolts 2| Tire; casing II is then conditioned-for normal use byinflating inner tube 15 and-in, such.circumstances,

rocker heads 33 are retained in their retracted position by the pneumatic action of innertube, .l 5'.

In the event that inner tuber I 5 becomes defiated, legs 28 under the influence of leaff spri-ngs 39 will immediately be extended into thegposition shown in Fig; 73', and rocker heads-33" under the influence of springs will assume the posi tioni shown in Fig. 3. Detents 4.3 wil1 seat within theirrespectivegrecesses 4"!) to lockarmsZB in exwill. thus serve-tosupport tire. casing H- against collapse, and will provide a tread. oi the samev diameter asthat possessed by the "inflated tire.

Under these circumstances, inner tube l5 will-be crushed into collapsed condition between rocker heads 33- and the inside of tire casing I I-.

When it is desired to dismount tire casing H1 and-"inner. tube-"l5 after a flat tire has: occurred,

side; wallZil is removed;v detents 413 are urged: into recessesi45 softhat legs 2'8.may be retractedin Legs 28 and rocker heads 33;

Whatis claimed is: ,lvIncombination, a wheel, a tire casing amounted on said wheel, a pneumatic tube in said 'ti re adaptedupo n inflation to support said casing againstcollapse, a series of members independently pivoted on said wheel and resting against theinner. periphery: ofsaid pneumatic tube when inflated, resilient means for urging said members outwardly into extended position upon deflation of-sa-id tube, and-meansfor locking said members in extended position to support said tire caseing; internally against col1apse;'said members: having adjustable terminal portions-whicharecapable of automatic; adjustment to. the contourw oithe tire casing.

2-. A- device'for usein: axwheel having a" tire; casing and a pneumatic tube in the casingttorpre vent. collapse thereof'comprising" a: series- 0f: members independentlypivotew on the wheel--and-j resting; againstthe inner periphery of-j the pne.u

matic tube when inflated resilient means-"forurging: said members outwardly-into extended: position upon deflationofi thetuba. and means for locking said members in extended position'jto support'the' tire casing internally against'col lapse, said-members having adjustable: terminale portions which are capable ofautomaticiadjustment to the: contour of:the tire casing;- t

3. In combinatior a wheel havingarim; atire casing mountediont said rim, a pneumatic tube-m said casing, adapted upon inflation to support Said. casing -against c'ollapse; saidrimi having" aepair'jof spaced parallel flanges. extending radially: inward therefrom, saidflanges' having" termmaFportions extending toward each otheiand parallel fto said rim, a seriesof openings in said rimra'dially outwardof each of saidterminal portions; the series' of opening outwardly on one terminal portion being staggered relative to the openings-outwardly of the other of said terminal portionsaserie's' of legs extending one through each of said open'-' ings, each leg being pivoted atone end on one' of said flanges and at its other end' supporting" a rocker head adopted upon'inflation of said tube to seat against the outer; periphery of said rim' and the inner periphery of said tube, spring means reacting at one end against said leg and at its other end reacting against oneof said terminal portions'to swing said'leg upon deflation of said;

tube into radially extended position whereby said rocker head may accommodate itselfto the contour of the inner surface of 'said casing'whereby' said casing maybe supported againstcollapse,

each of said l'egs being provided with a spring actuated detent adapted to seat in a recess in the adjacent flange to lock said'leg in extended position, and spring means 'for urging saidj rocker head into perpendicular position relative to; said leg.

4. In combination; a wheel; Ea} tire; casing mounted on said wheel, a pneumatic tube in said tire adapteduponinflationto support saidcasing' against. collapse, and mechanical means mount ed on said wheel andoperative upon deflation of said" 6 tire to support said casing internally against (201- lapse, said mechanical means comprising a plu- REFERENCES CITED rality of pivoted members adapted to swing t- The following references are of record in the wardly into extended position upon deflation of file of this patent:

the tube and including neans for locking said 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS members in extended position to support send tire casing internally against collapse. Number Name Date JARLY c. MALEN. 8 ,507 Quinn June 18, 1942 

